There are three grammar mistakes that I normally faced when I’m doing writing assignment, that is, article, perfect tenses, and gerund. For article, I will always use it wrongly or even neglect it when a sentence really needs it. I’m confused about the types of perfect tense, like when to use had plus the past participle or have/has plus the past participle. Also, I’m always confused about the usage of gerund.
Articles are commonly used with common nouns or noun phrases and it consist of the nonspecific articles (a/an) and the specific article (the). The usage of article is depending on generic or specific reference. ‘The” article is used to indicate some specific object in the sentence after a general reference is made about the object or the object is unique, and it is also used when the noun has been modified by a adjectival phrase or clause. As for article ‘a’ and ‘an’, they are used before a singular countable noun that is non specific. ‘An’ is used when the beginning sound of the nonspecific singular countable noun is a vowel sound. Where as, ‘a’ is used when the beginning of the noun is a consonant.
Mistake:
Governments should set up rules and regulations on the use of the technology, so that it would not be misused for wrong or even criminal purposes.
Corrected version:
Governments should set up rules and regulations on the use of the technology, so that it would not be misused for the wrong or even criminal purposes.
There are four types of perfect tenses, present perfect, past perfect, present perfect progressive and past perfect progressive. Present perfect tense (has/have + past participle) is used to express an action or state has happened in the very recent past where as past perfect tense (had + past participle) is used to express an action which is completed in the past. Present perfect progressive (has/have + been + past participle) is used to stress the duration of an activity happened in the recent past. Past perfect progressive (had + been + past participle) is used to stress the duration of an activity that was completed before another action or time in the past.
Mistake:
Recently, researchers Mitchell and Just had utilized the new technology, computational modeling in human brain studies.
Corrected version:
Recently, researchers Mitchell and Just have utilized the new technology, computational modeling in human brain studies.
As for gerund, it is ‘-ing’ form of the verb but it is used as a noun. It is often called a verbal noun. A gerund can be a subject of a sentence, an abject of a verb, and an object of a preposition.
Mistake:
I prefer stay at home to watching a film at the cinema.
Corrected version:
I prefer staying at home to watching a film at the cinema.
Reference:
Lane, A. and Lange, E. (1999). Writing Clearly: An Editing
Guide (2nd ed.). Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers,
198-209.
Raimes, A. (2006). Grammar Troublespots: A Guide for
Student Writers (3rd ed.). New York: Cambridge
University Press, 98-105.
Swales, J.M. and Feak, C.B. (2009). Academic Writing for
Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills (2nd ed.).
USA: The University of Michigan Press, 289-301.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
EG1471 e-portfolio 5 (roundtable dicussion summary)
During week 6, we had a roundtable discussion on issues related to our Writing Assignment 2. For my group, we had chosen the topic about the technology called computational modeling in brain studies. We had discussed about the benefits and the potential bad effects of the technology on society, and also the question whether institutions or government should regulate the use of this technology.
First of all, our group moderator, Lance, explained what is computational modeling in brain studies and its uses in modern day life. Computational modeling in brain studies is a technology that enables scientists to analyze how a human brain functions, how it processes information and thoughts. The technology is now widely used in medical domain to help those patient who a paralyzed to regain control of body motion and even communication. By using fMRI, scientists are able to scan a person’s brain and obtain the brain activation pattern, thus predict what the person is thinking.
For the side which opposes the regulations, Wei ling and Yi Xiang stated that the technology brings far more benefits than bad effects to the society. Based on studies by researchers, the technology has potential in the future to find out the causes and the solution for mental illness. Other than that, the machine also can serve as the purpose of detecting the people who has a high risk of obtaining mental illness. In addition, the machine is also able to treat ADHD patients. By providing a gaming environment, patients use brain-controlled virtual joysticks to play games, thus, it will enhances their concentration on certain object.
As for the side which supports regulations, Ei Hong pointed out a fact that, currently, the accuracy of the machine is still unreliable. The reason is, different people may have different perception on things, and thus, it causes difference in the brain activation pattern with the default pattern. Moreover, people with different culture have different thinking too. To add on, Phyllicia said that, when a person is feeling anxious, the machine will also give inaccurate results and initially when the machine is tested, the data used is only based on a few research subjects, and the number cannot represent the whole human population. For my own part, I stated out the point that the machine might violate human right, that is, human privacy is not ensured. If the machine is being overused, we might end up with a future where people’s thought is stored up as data files and brain scanning may be necessary during job interview or requirement for school.
In conclusion, we found out that, the technology still have many flaws and requires time and advance skills of scientists in the future to make it more accurate. So, we all agree on the conclusion that government should set up rules and regulations to protect the technology from being misused. It should be restrained for medical and crime investigation purposes instead of being a lie detector or a daily use machine for everybody.
First of all, our group moderator, Lance, explained what is computational modeling in brain studies and its uses in modern day life. Computational modeling in brain studies is a technology that enables scientists to analyze how a human brain functions, how it processes information and thoughts. The technology is now widely used in medical domain to help those patient who a paralyzed to regain control of body motion and even communication. By using fMRI, scientists are able to scan a person’s brain and obtain the brain activation pattern, thus predict what the person is thinking.
For the side which opposes the regulations, Wei ling and Yi Xiang stated that the technology brings far more benefits than bad effects to the society. Based on studies by researchers, the technology has potential in the future to find out the causes and the solution for mental illness. Other than that, the machine also can serve as the purpose of detecting the people who has a high risk of obtaining mental illness. In addition, the machine is also able to treat ADHD patients. By providing a gaming environment, patients use brain-controlled virtual joysticks to play games, thus, it will enhances their concentration on certain object.
As for the side which supports regulations, Ei Hong pointed out a fact that, currently, the accuracy of the machine is still unreliable. The reason is, different people may have different perception on things, and thus, it causes difference in the brain activation pattern with the default pattern. Moreover, people with different culture have different thinking too. To add on, Phyllicia said that, when a person is feeling anxious, the machine will also give inaccurate results and initially when the machine is tested, the data used is only based on a few research subjects, and the number cannot represent the whole human population. For my own part, I stated out the point that the machine might violate human right, that is, human privacy is not ensured. If the machine is being overused, we might end up with a future where people’s thought is stored up as data files and brain scanning may be necessary during job interview or requirement for school.
In conclusion, we found out that, the technology still have many flaws and requires time and advance skills of scientists in the future to make it more accurate. So, we all agree on the conclusion that government should set up rules and regulations to protect the technology from being misused. It should be restrained for medical and crime investigation purposes instead of being a lie detector or a daily use machine for everybody.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Summarize 2 articles (computational modeling of brain studies)
The new technology computational modeling in brain studies has led us to discover how human brain functions, how it processes our daily input of information from the environment and how and what are we thinking. According to Marano , in his article “ Ethics and mapping the brain”, “ the technology are bringing us closer to a world where blindness is overcome with visual prostheses and Alzheimer’s disease is understood…”Marano (2003) It is true that the technology brings benefits to the society, however, it is still unprepared to be widely used, not only because of the, accuracy of the machine, expensive cost and some ethical issues are still being question by experts and society in the world.
What is computational modeling in brain studies? Based on the new research by Tom Mitchell, a computer scientist and Marcel Just, a cognitive neuroscientist, by using brain scan data obtained from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers able to develop a computational model that enabled a computer to correctly determine what word a research subject was thinking about. National Science Foundation (2008) . By comparing brain activation patterns generated by brain scan, the computer is able to identify thoughts. Other that that , the technology also have the potential to determine whether the subject is lying or not, by using fMRI to detect the significant difference of blood oxygen level in the brain between lying and truth telling. This technology is very useful in criminal investigation.
Accuracy of the machine is still a problem until today. When the computer is first tested, there are only a few research subjects involved, the result data does not include the whole human population. In other words, different person have different perspective on things, and different people may react differently, thus resulting in different brain activation patterns that may cause the computer to interpret the information wrongly. Arthur L. Caplan, a professor from Pennsylvania said that the machine is not ready to be widely used yet, because of the high false positive rates and false negative rates occurred. Marano (2003). For the case of criminal detecting, the inaccuracy of the machine may cause innocent people to be sent to jail. Besides that, the rule of the result of the machine to be made evidence in court is also questionable.
On the other hand, the cost of the machine is also expensive. If the brain scan services is made common to society, who would afford to pay for the expensive cost of the data processing? Another question popped up, if everybody’s brain image is easily taken and stored as a data, how is privacy ensured? People can be fired from company because of the interviewer got to know that the person have the potential of developing schizophrenia. This is not the right direction the technology supposes to lead. Children in the future may have their brain scan to determine whether they are suitable for certain lesson. The question “is your brain your fate?” occurred Caplan cautioned, “Yes, it predictive, but a person still can change things with learning and environment.” Marano (2003).
In conclusion, government’s regulations on the technology are important. They should set rules like who have the permission to use it and who do not, so that the misuse of the technology can be prevented.
Vocabulary/ Phrase :
Prostheses : An artificial device used to replace a missing body part, such as a limb, tooth, eye, or heart valve.
Cognitive : Having a basis in or reducible to empirical factual knowledge.
Schizophrenia : Psychiatry. Also called dementia praecox. a severe mental disorder characterized by some, but not necessarily all, of the following features: emotional blunting, intellectual deterioration, social isolation, disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, and hallucinations.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) : a form of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain that registers blood flow to functioning areas of the brain.
Predictive : being an indication of the future or of future conditions: a cold wind predictive of snow.
Reference:
Marano, L. (2003, June3). Ethics and mapping the brain (An abridged version of the original in The Washington Times). Retrieved August 6, 2008, from the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics Web site:
http://www.cognitivelibert.org/neuro/brain_mapping_ethics.htm
National Science Foundation. (2008, May 30). A computer that can ‘read’ your mind
[Press release 08-091]. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111641&org=olpa&from=news
What is computational modeling in brain studies? Based on the new research by Tom Mitchell, a computer scientist and Marcel Just, a cognitive neuroscientist, by using brain scan data obtained from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers able to develop a computational model that enabled a computer to correctly determine what word a research subject was thinking about. National Science Foundation (2008) . By comparing brain activation patterns generated by brain scan, the computer is able to identify thoughts. Other that that , the technology also have the potential to determine whether the subject is lying or not, by using fMRI to detect the significant difference of blood oxygen level in the brain between lying and truth telling. This technology is very useful in criminal investigation.
Accuracy of the machine is still a problem until today. When the computer is first tested, there are only a few research subjects involved, the result data does not include the whole human population. In other words, different person have different perspective on things, and different people may react differently, thus resulting in different brain activation patterns that may cause the computer to interpret the information wrongly. Arthur L. Caplan, a professor from Pennsylvania said that the machine is not ready to be widely used yet, because of the high false positive rates and false negative rates occurred. Marano (2003). For the case of criminal detecting, the inaccuracy of the machine may cause innocent people to be sent to jail. Besides that, the rule of the result of the machine to be made evidence in court is also questionable.
On the other hand, the cost of the machine is also expensive. If the brain scan services is made common to society, who would afford to pay for the expensive cost of the data processing? Another question popped up, if everybody’s brain image is easily taken and stored as a data, how is privacy ensured? People can be fired from company because of the interviewer got to know that the person have the potential of developing schizophrenia. This is not the right direction the technology supposes to lead. Children in the future may have their brain scan to determine whether they are suitable for certain lesson. The question “is your brain your fate?” occurred Caplan cautioned, “Yes, it predictive, but a person still can change things with learning and environment.” Marano (2003).
In conclusion, government’s regulations on the technology are important. They should set rules like who have the permission to use it and who do not, so that the misuse of the technology can be prevented.
Vocabulary/ Phrase :
Prostheses : An artificial device used to replace a missing body part, such as a limb, tooth, eye, or heart valve.
Cognitive : Having a basis in or reducible to empirical factual knowledge.
Schizophrenia : Psychiatry. Also called dementia praecox. a severe mental disorder characterized by some, but not necessarily all, of the following features: emotional blunting, intellectual deterioration, social isolation, disorganized speech and behavior, delusions, and hallucinations.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) : a form of magnetic resonance imaging of the brain that registers blood flow to functioning areas of the brain.
Predictive : being an indication of the future or of future conditions: a cold wind predictive of snow.
Reference:
Marano, L. (2003, June3). Ethics and mapping the brain (An abridged version of the original in The Washington Times). Retrieved August 6, 2008, from the Center for Cognitive Liberty and Ethics Web site:
http://www.cognitivelibert.org/neuro/brain_mapping_ethics.htm
National Science Foundation. (2008, May 30). A computer that can ‘read’ your mind
[Press release 08-091]. Retrieved August 6, 2008, from
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=111641&org=olpa&from=news
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